There were eight resolutions passed by Convention that require a referendum ballot by the membership per Article XXII of the TWU-STT Constitution.

  Included in these eight resolutions is a recommendation by the Finance Committee and passed by Convention for the restructuring of our membership dues.  The proposal would see our dues rise from the current 1.7% to 1.9%, with the allocation to our Administration account being 1.65% and the balance of .25% flowing through to our Benevolent Society.

A Union’s strength is measured by the solidarity of its membership, but it is also measured by how well it can finance important initiatives such as Education, Political Action, Local servicing, and Legal; our Union’s ability to support these initiatives has been greatly affected by our diminished financial resources.  Over the past several years, owing in part to a decline in membership, the Telecommunications Workers Union has been challenged by the requirement to do more with less.

We have reached a juncture where the membership must decide how to finance these important initiatives.  Convention wrestled with this most difficult choice and brought in a balanced budget of 8.4 million but also supported the proposed dues restructuring and increase.

Locals have been advised to schedule a meeting between September 6 and October 7 2011, and those members not able to attend may request an absentee ballot per Article XIX (5) by submitting the online  Absentee Ballot Request form.

An absentee ballot may be issued by the Secretary-Treasurer of the Union upon the written request of the individual member prior to the specified meeting and shall be for the sole purpose of voting on matters under the jurisdiction of the Convention or the Executive Council. An absentee shall be considered as a member who is working, sick, on vacation or located in an area making it impossible to attend the meeting where the vote is to be conducted.

You as a member will have an important choice with respect to how you wish to see your union funded, this is your opportunity to be heard on this most important issue.

Bulletin and Consititution Changes

In Solidarity,

Michael Thompson
National Secretary-Treasurer